Preview

How Do PTSD Reliving Trauma

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1380 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
How Do PTSD Reliving Trauma
PTSD, Reliving Trauma
Tameka Sims
22167440
Liberty University

Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has many symptoms and the DSM IV-TR tells us that there is a criterion that must be met in order to diagnose a person with PTSD. There are people from all walks of life that struggle with this disorder but there is hope in treatment.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by the re-experiencing of an extremely traumatic event accompanied by symptoms of increased arousal and by avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma . Cowley says that PTSD is as old as war but it did not become an official diagnosis until the 1980’s. PTSD’s causes are still murky and
…show more content…
Second the individual tenaciously relives that trauma, third the individual does whatever they can to avoid stimuli related to the trauma, forth the individual has symptoms of hyper arousal of their nervous system that they did not have prior to the trauma and fifth the individual will have noticeable impairment in social, occupational or other vital areas of their lives .Symptoms of PTSD can manifest itself in various forms such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, irritability or outbursts of anger difficulty concentrating, hypervigilance and exaggerated startle response. Clients will often seem depressed or withdrawn from social interactions around them. They will tend to isolate themselves from situations that would require them to interact socially. Unfortunately some don’t seek treatment for PTSD until they are forced to by the court system or family members that can no longer deal with outbursts of anger or violence. Many combat veterans suffer from PTSD and some never seek treatment because of the stigma attached to psychiatric care. Sometime they use substances to alleviate their symptoms. Working in a transitional housing facility for veterans has afforded me the ability to talk to veterans that served in World War II, the Gulf War, and the War on Afghanistan that suffered from …show more content…
I began to drink beer when I was seventeen because the visions and nightmare of my trauma would cause me to feel as though I was living in the time that the trauma took place. Drinking beer would dull the hyper response of my nervous system; however, it did not minimize the amount of times that I would relive the events. After years of drinking I was introduced to cocaine and it seemed to numb my feelings about the trauma. I eventually started smoking cocaine in the rock form (crack) and that stopped the trauma reliving altogether but brought on a new set of problems that I could not live with. I was forced to seek treatment because I was homeless and hopeless. It wasn’t until I was doing the intake for treatment that I realized that I was bothered by a past trauma. I was treated with cognitive and group therapy and medication. This combination helped me but treatment for PTSD will vary from person to

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Horace Whaley Causes

    • 562 Words
    • 3 Pages

    According to statistics it is estimated that one in twenty of the surviving World War II veterans suffer from some level of post-traumatic stress disorder. Also known as PTSD, it occurs when one experiences a tragic, petrifying moment. War veterans suffer from this condition all the time. There are many ways to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, but not to completely get rid of it. Some treatments consist of medication, stress management classes, as well as different therapies. In war, you see and live through traumatic events. You foresee individuals that get there arm or legs blown off, on top of ones that lose their lives. Gunshots and explosions are implanted in your brain; there is no way to forget.…

    • 562 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Suammary of Unhappy Meals

    • 1184 Words
    • 5 Pages

    d. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of life-threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, and terrorist incidents. Some people have stress reactions that do not go away on their own, or may even get worse over time. People who suffer from PTSD often relive the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged. These symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair the Soldier's daily life.…

    • 1184 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    PTSD And Iraq Summary

    • 777 Words
    • 4 Pages

    This book defines PTSD as a chronic, debilitating psychological condition that occurs in a subset of persons who experience or witness, life-threatening traumatic events. PTSD is characterized by re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal symptoms that occur over time and lead to significant disruption of one’s life. during a course of treatment using prolonged exposure, typically four treatment components are administered over 9-12 sessions lasting 90 to 120 minutes each: (1) psychoeducation about the symptoms of PTSD and…

    • 777 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Ptsd in the Vietnam War

    • 1386 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is defined as an anxiety disorder that can occur after being exposed to a traumatic experience like combat, terrorist attack, or child/sexual abuse. (National) Most times that PTSD is developed are in the time of war. The reason it is developed more during the time of war is because these people are exposed to most of the types of trauma that will cause PTSD. Not every person involved in the war develops PTSD though because the development of PTSD depends on how intense the trauma was, how long it lasted, if the person was injured, if they lost someone important, or how much support they received after the event. (National) After an event has happened, the person involved is given a screening exam to see if they have PTSD. The main things the doctors look for in the exam are symptoms of PTSD. Some of the symptoms of PTSD include, reliving the event, avoiding situations that resemble the event, feeling numb, and feeling keyed up. (National) Along with the PTSD, some other problems may occur. These problems include feelings of hopelessness, depression, and drinking or drug problems. There are…

    • 1386 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or otherwise known as PTSD, is a disorder that affects many who have served in the military or those whov had a bad upbringing such as abuse. It is a “debilitating anxiety disorder”(HealthLine) that happens after observing or suffering through a distressing event. This occurrence may have put the onlooker or victim at risk of impairment or death. The symptoms of PTSD can range from reexperiencing the traumatic event to avoiding others so the likelihood of the event has no chance of reoccuring but therapies are available in order to help these victims to cope with everyday life.…

    • 337 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Hca 240 Week 8

    • 1842 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that develops after a traumatic event. PTSD has also been called shell shock or battle fatigue. The exact cause of PTSD is unknown. PTSD is triggered by exposure to a traumatic event. Situations in which a person feels intense fear, helplessness, or horror are considered traumatic. PTSD has been reported in people who experienced: War,…

    • 1842 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the Military Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental health disorder that must be better understood by the military. PTSD, battle fatigue, shell shock, and several other phrases describe a condition that has been observed in war veterans for centuries. In Achilles in Vietnam, Jonathan Shay studied veterans of the Vietnam War with PTSD and explained the similarities between these veterans and Achilles in the book The Iliad. PTSD is triggered by traumatic events that result in symptoms that can lead to very bad behavioral problems. Without proper awareness and understanding of how to identify and treat the disorder, many veterans will have difficulty functioning normally in society.…

    • 899 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Overall, posttraumatic stress is a mental disorder caused by catastrophic events. This disorder is diagnosed by flashbacks from a trauma someone experienced. Veterans in combat have a high percentage of being diagnosed with this stress disorder because of death risks. There is various symptoms people knowledge with posttraumatic stress, as well as treatments. This disorder affects a person’s ability to concentrate and interact…

    • 1162 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    PTSD is not just about the signs and symptoms, it is about how the person reacts to those signs and symptoms as well. Some symptoms of PTSD are: Having difficulty sleeping, having trouble keeping one’s mind on one thing, feeling anxious, jittery or, irritated for no apparent reason, experiencing a sense of panic…

    • 1325 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder has become a rising mental disorder among both male and female veterans. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, also called PTSD for short, is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a traumatic event in which physical or mental harm may have occurred. Events such as wartime situations, violent attacks, serious accidents, and terrorist incidents can all play a part in the increase of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder cases. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can have many negative effects on the individual’s life, such as personal relationships, potential health problems, and having a successful career.…

    • 636 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In 1980, posttraumatic stress disorder was added into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). In this version of the DSM not a lot of information was known about PTSD. As the years went on more and more information…

    • 1401 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Wounded Veterans

    • 1614 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), often known as combat stress, is an anxiety disorder which happens after being exposed to a traumatic life event. ("Make the connection,") Being sent into battle where bombs are set off at random and guns’ being fired toward a soldier’s direction is a great environment to obtain PTSD.…

    • 1614 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Post-traumatic stress disorder, according to WebMD, is a condition in which a person has gone through or seen a life-altering or a terrifying event either physically or emotionally (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder). For normal people, after something traumatic happens, they experience shock, anger, nervousness, fear, and guilt. For them, that feeling goes away after a short period of time. People who suffer with PTSD, those feelings last on…

    • 591 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In 1980, the APA which is the American Psychiatric Association added Post Traumatic Disorder to DSM-III. PTSD is very unique disorder because of the great important placed on the traumatic stressor, an etiological agent. PTSD was a psychological condition of Veterans who were unable to face their experiences on the battlefield. PTSD is an anxiety disorder where some people develop after living or seeing event that caused or threatened serious death of a person or serious harm. PTSD is related to changes in brain structure/function in which these changes provide clues to the origin of PTSD, treatment and prevention of PTSD.…

    • 1969 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Caged Bird Sings Trauma

    • 929 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Anxiety and Depression Association of America defines Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as, “...a serious potentially debilitating condition that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a natural…

    • 929 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays